E-Learning as Nation Building

Author(s):  
Marco Adria ◽  
Katy Campbell

This chapter is concerned with how individuals may examine the potential for social change arising from interactions in an e-learning environment. We explore continuing education as the site for e-learning in the context of developing a civil society. Referring to Anderson’s (1991) work on nationalism, and Wenger, McDermott, and Snyder’s (2002) discussion of communities of practice, we argue that the transition from face-to-face teaching to e-learning has the potential to appeal to those learners, and their instructors, who are interested in the capacity of a community to contribute to social change. We are particularly interested in the potential of e-learning to be socially transformative in its power to be inclusive, that is, to support diverse cultures, languages, work contexts, learning needs and styles, prior experiences, generations, economic circumstances, social contexts, and geographic location. We have suggested that the metaphor of an e-learning nation supports the reflective and progressive development of learning communities in which identity is consciously and critically examined.

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 394-402
Author(s):  
Joanne Callinan

Background: E-learning provides opportunities for flexible learning to those who cannot access palliative education in the traditional classroom setting, but it also presents learners with challenges. The study aims to identify the barriers and facilitators to accessing e-learning courses in palliative care. Methods: Cross-sectional surveys were developed, piloted and disseminated to healthcare professionals (HCPs) working in palliative care on the island of Ireland (Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland). Results: Important factors that motivated HCPs to participate in e-learning are: dedicated time; quick technical and administrative support; computer training before completing an e-learning course; and regular contact with the tutor in online course work. Some 50% indicated face-to-face assistance and hands-on training sessions as the type of support that they would like to receive. Conclusions: Healthcare professionals' prior experiences and attitudes towards e-learning will guide educators developing programmes. This study indicates the prerequisite for organisational supports and practical considerations to facilitate the uptake of e-learning.


1983 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 125-132 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura M. Harvey

The relationship between therapists' geographic location and three program planning variables in continuing education was studied using the descriptive survey method. The findings suggested that learning needs were high in evaluation related competencies and that family responsibility and lack of appropriate programs were major barriers to participation. The overwhelming preference in delivery systems was the one or two day workshop. The study concluded that there were few significant differences between urban and rural therapists in relation to the variables studied indicating restraint rather than innovation in programming for the geographically isolated therapist.


Author(s):  
Karen Ousey ◽  
Stephen White

This chapter explores the early development stages of an interactive interprofessional online learning package that updates and supports health and social care professionals who mentor students in practice settings. The package aims to present content that is relevant and useful to fourteen different disciplines accessing it. A benefit of online content is that learning can be undertaken when convenient for the mentor, 24 hours a day-7 days a week, with the facility to stop and restart as needed. Additionally the package is constructed so both individuals and groups can use it; this both meets a regulatory body’s requirement for having a face-to-face update every year, and provides support for interprofessional learning between mentors from different disciplines.


Author(s):  
Fatemeh Jafarzadeh-Kenarsari ◽  
Kobra Abouzari-Gazafroodi ◽  
Fatemeh Zaersabet

Continuing education is necessary to improve the professional knowledge and skills of graduates of medical sciences, which may be implemented via e-learning. This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences and viewpoints of faculty members participating in continuing education webinars. The participants consisted of 15 faculty members selected purposefully and with maximal variation regarding their sex, age, the field of specialization, academic rank, and work experience. Data were collected through semi-structured individual face-to-face interviews. Data analysis of these transcripts using a qualitative content analysis approach revealed 3 themes and 9 sub-themes. The main themes included “Moving across the boundaries of knowledge,” Virtual education challenges,” and “Motivators and facilitators.” These data suggest that the main prerequisites for holding successful and effective continuing education webinars are the existence of the necessary software and hardware infrastructures, high-speed and accessible Internet, purposeful educational design, as well as empowering, motivating, and encouraging faculty members to participate in such educational programs. The technical infrastructures and human elements remain critical in effective implementation of continuing education webinars.


Author(s):  
Karim A. Remtulla

This chapter discusses social change as context and social responsibility as impetus for a socioculturally sensitive research and study of workplace e-learning. Current interventions of workplace elearning, when not accompanied by socio-cultural sensitivity, are destined to falter with respect to adequate workplace adult education and training for a global, diverse workforce. To describe transformation and change happening at work as ‘phenomena’ is an understatement. Workplace transformations and workforce changes are, quite literally, daily events. A dynamic and global workforce lives and works in the global age. Workers now participate in organizations comprising of people who are more experientially and demographically diverse. Consumer tastes and loyalties are incessantly transient. Organizations are also morphing with respect to technologies, processes, jobs, and accountabilities. Against this backdrop, the growing reliance on workplace e-learning as a complete solution based on the goals of cost savings and process efficiencies is increasingly problematic. The assumption of the ubiquity of the technological or financial artefacts of hardware and software, as sufficient to overcome diverse workforce learning needs fundamentally naive. The importance and necessity of broaching workplace e-learning as a socio-culturally negotiated idea, and not as just a technological or financial artefact, now becomes clearer. Social change does impact workplace transformations and workforce changes, which in turn directly influence workplace e-learning outcomes. Social responsibility now also becomes an ‘impetus’ for the socio-cultural sensitivity of workplace e-learning and the benefit of a global and diverse cohort of adult learners contending with workplace transformations, workforce changes, and social changes.


2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Kilham

AbstractAshared understanding of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and a coordinated approach to teaching diagnosed students is essential because of the complex learning needs of this cohort. This research examines the ways in which special educators used wiki technology to create a working document and to share and develop their perspectives about fundamental autism constructs. The teachers appreciated the flexibility and convenience of wikis in a postgraduate course and collaboratively authored a working document. This suggested the wiki facilitated the development of a community of practice. Analysis of wiki comments further showed that, despite considerable experience in face-to-face communication, the teachers did not construct transparent protocols to guide the online decision-making process so did not fully exploit the capacity of this technology. Teachers had confidence in the privacy of a password-protected site but did not consider that the collaborative e-learning tool would be gainfully used by students on the spectrum because of their social and communication deficits. Nevertheless, teachers envisaged potential benefits if wikis were to be adopted by school staff.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 875-894
Author(s):  
Yeni Yuliana

Abstract The internet can be made as a way to transfer knowledge from lecturers to students, while Learning that utilizes the internet is one of the E-Learning Learning media. E-learning is distance learning that utilizes computer technology or computer networks or the Internet E-learning, so that it can enable the learning process through computers in their respective places without having to physically go to attend classes or lectures in class, Systems e-learning learning is a new way of teaching and learning. E-learning as a special learning media PAI courses provide a very important role and a large function in the course because so far there are many shortcomings and weaknesses such as the limitations of space and time in the teaching and learning process through E-learning which prioritizes the efficiency of learning so students get full teaching even though they do not have to be face to face, can also be accessed anywhere, anytime, according to the assignments given by the lecturer usually scheduled with a specified deadline. The development of education towards e-learning is a must so that the quality standards of education can be improved, E-learning is one of the uses of internet technology in the delivery of learning and its broad reach. E-learning can also be an answer to a health problem that is Pandemic Corona (Covid-19) which is very influential also in every aspect of life, especially in education.Keywords: Effectiveness, Utilization, Islamic Religious Education, E-Learning, Covid 19. Abstrak Internet dapat dijadikan cara untuk mentransfer ilmu pengetahuan dari Dosen kepada mahasiswa/mahasiswi. Adapun Pembelajaran yang memanfaatkan internet salah satunya adalah media pembelajaran E-Learning. E-learning adalah pembelajaran jarak jauh (distance learning) yang memanfaatkan  teknologi komputer atau jaringan komputer atau internet E-learning, sehingga dapat  memungkinkan proses pembelajaran melalui komputer di tempat mereka  masing– masing tanpa harus secara fisik  pergi  mengikuti pelajaran atau pun  perkuliahan di kelas,  Sistem pembelajaran e-learning adalah cara baru dalam proses belajar mengajar. E-learning  sebagai   media pembelajaran khususnya mata kuliah PAI memberikan  peran   sangat   penting  dan fungsi yang besar pada mata kuliah tersebut karena selama  ini terdapat banyak  kekurangan  dan kelemahan seperti keterbatasan ruang dan waktu dalam  proses belajar  mengajar melalui E-learning yang  mengedepankan keefisienan dalam belajar sehingga  mahasiswa mendapat pengajaran yang penuh meski tidak harus bertatap muka, juga bisa di akses di mana saja, kapan saja,  sesuai dengan tugas yang diberikan oleh dosen biasanya terjadwal dengan  batas  waktu  yang  di tentukan. Pengembangan  pendidikan menuju e-learning merupakan suatu keharusan agar standar mutu pendidikan dapat ditingkatkan,  E-learning merupakan salah satu penggunaan teknologi internet dalam penyampaian  pembelajaran  serta  jangkauannya yang luas. E-learning  juga dapat menjadi jawaban dari suatu permasalahan kesehatan yaitu Pandemi Corona (Covid-19) ini yang sangat berpengaruh juga pada setiap aspek kehidupan terutama bidang pendidikan.Kata kunci  :  Keefektifitas, Pemanfaatan, Pendidikan Agama Islam,  E-Learning, Covid 19.  


Author(s):  
R J Singh

This article reports on the use of blended learning in higher education. Blended learning has become popular in higher education in recent years. It is a move beyond traditional lecturing to incorporate face-to-face learning with e-learning, thereby creating a blend of learning experiences. The problem is that learning in higher education is complex and learning situations differ across contexts. Whilst there is face-to-face contact at some institutions, others offer distance learning or correspondence learning. In each context, the mode of learning may differ. The challenge is to cater for various learning opportunities through a series of learning interactions and to incorporate a blended approach. The aim of this study was to examine various ways of defining blended learning in different contexts. This was done through an examination of experiences of the use of blended learning in different higher education contexts. The study presents a case of blended learning in a postgraduate course. The experiences from all these cases are summarised and conclusions and recommendations are made in the context of blended learning in higher education in South Africa.


Author(s):  
Leanri van Heerden

After the #FeesMustFall strikes that have been haunting South African universities since 2015, Instructional Designers felt pretty confident that they can drive their institutions through any dilemma. Along came the 2020 COVID-19 epidemic and they realised they have been playing in the kiddie pool all along. On 23 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a national lockdown level 5 to start on 26 March 2020 (Department of Health, 2020). Three days head start for a three-week lockdown (which was eventually extended till the time of writing) was a logistical nightmare for even the most technology driven universities. All staff were sent home with only enough time to grab their office plants and laptops and no idea how they were going to move forward. The issue with staff and students all working from home is that the lecturers working at the Central University of Technology (CUT), being primarily a face-to-face delivery university, was completely unprepared for moving their traditional and blended approaches to completely online. In their study, Mogeni, Ondigi and Mufo (2020) found that most of the investigated teachers were not empowered enough to deliver instruction fully online and either needed to be retrained, receive further specialised training or be trained completely from scratch. A lack of confidence in the delivery mode of instruction will cause even the most knowledgeable subject spcialist to fail in their task. At the CUT lecturers needed a way of quickly acquiring the necessary skills to deliver their content and assessments on the institution Learning Management System (LMS). The aim of this paper is to measure participant perspectives of an emergency intervention to facilitate the process of online delivery skills acquisition quickly and online. To ensure relevant results a systematic process of designing an intervention and recording participant perspectives is necessary. This extended abstract will take a look at the methods used to drive the paper, briefly discuss the results and findings, and lastly explore the implications and significance of the research for the use of higher education institutions for emergency LMS training. Keywords: LMS training; e-Learning; Online Instruction; Instructional Design


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Onno Hoffmeister ◽  
Barbara D’Andrea Adrian ◽  
Mark Assaf ◽  
Nour Barnat ◽  
Dominique Chantrel ◽  
...  

We report on five years of capacity building designed to improve the skills of producers and users of international trade statistics all over the world, with a particular focus on developing countries. This training programme is a joint activity between UNCTAD, UNSD and WTO, based on an innovative (Blended Learning) approach, combining e-learning and face-to-face workshops. It is adapted to local needs, uses the pool of experts working at international organisations, and ensures continuous review and enhancement of the applied methods and tools. The results reviewed in this paper confirm that the program has reached the target population. Furthermore, it has global coverage and is gender-balanced. During the five years since the programme has begun, participation in the courses has increased considerably; success rates have risen from 72% to 79% and satisfaction rates from 77% to 88%. Plans for the future include delivering training in additional languages, increasing interactivity, and adding new components addressing specific training needs.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document